600-680 AD : Bhaskara I : Indian First to write numbers in Hindu-Arabic decimal system with a circle for zero, remarkably accurate approximation of the sine function

780-850 AD : Muhammad Al-Khwarizmi :Persian : Advocacy of the Hindu numerals 1 - 9 and 0 in Islamic world, foundations of modern algebra, including algebraic methods of “reduction” and “balancing”, solution of polynomial equations up to second degree

1114-1185 AD :Bhaskara II : Indian Established that dividing by zero yields infinity, found solutions to quadratic, cubic and quartic equations (including negative and irrational solutions) and to second order Diophantine equations, introduced some preliminary concepts of calculus

1170-1250 AD :Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) : Italian : Fibonacci Sequence of numbers, advocacy of the use of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in Europe, Fibonacci's identity (product of two sums of two squares is itself a sum of two squares)

1201-1274 AD: Nasir al-Din al-Tusi : Persian : Developed field of spherical trigonometry, formulated law of sines for plane triangles

1350-1425 AD : Madhava : Indian : Use of infinite series of fractions to give an exact formula for π, sine formula and other trigonometric functions, important step towards development of calculus

1323-1382 AD : Nicole Oresme : French : System of rectangular coordinates, such as for a time-speed-distance graph, first to use fractional exponents, also worked on infinite series1446-1517 AD : Luca Pacioli : Italian : Influential book on arithmetic, geometry and book-keeping, also introduced standard symbols for plus and minus

1550-1617 AD : John Napier : British : Invention of natural logarithms, popularized the use of the decimal point, Napier’s Bones tool for lattice multiplication

1588-1648 AD : Marin Mersenne : French : Clearing house for mathematical thought during 17th Century, Mersenne primes (prime numbers that are one less than a power of 2)1591-1661 AD : Girard Desargues : French : Early development of projective geometry and “point at infinity”, perspective theorem

1596-1650 AD : René Descartes : French : Development of Cartesian coordinates and analytic geometry (synthesis of geometry and algebra), also credited with the first use of superscripts for powers or exponents

1598-1647 AD : Bonaventura Cavalieri : Italian : “Method of indivisibles” paved way for the later development of infinitesimal calculus

1601-1665 AD : Pierre de Fermat : French : Discovered many new numbers patterns and theorems (including Little Theorem, Two-Square Theorem and Last Theorem), greatly extending knowlege of number theory, also contributed to probability theory

1616-1703 AD : John Wallis : British : Contributed towards development of calculus, originated idea of number line, introduced symbol ∞ for infinity, developed standard notation for powers

1643-1727 AD : Isaac Newton : British : Development of infinitesimal calculus (differentiation and integration), laid ground work for almost all of classical mechanics, generalized binomial theorem, infinite power series

1646-1716 AD :Gottfried Leibniz : German Independently developed infinitesimal calculus (his calculus notation is still used), also practical calculating machine using binary system (forerunner of the computer), solved linear equations using a matrix

1707-1783 AD : Leonhard Euler : Swiss : Made important contributions in almost all fields and found unexpected links between different fields, proved numerous theorems, pioneered new methods, standardized mathematical notation and wrote many influential textbooks

1791-1858 AD : George Peacock : British : Inventor of symbolic algebra (early attempt to place algebra on a strictly logical basis)

1791-1871 AD : Charles Babbage :British : Designed a "difference engine" that could automatically perform computations based on instructions stored on cards or tape, forerunner of programmable computer.

1811-1832 AD : Évariste Galois French Proved that there is no general algebraic method for solving polynomial equations of degree greater than four, laid groundwork for abstract algebra, Galois theory, group theory, ring theory, etc

1815-1864 AD : George Boole : British : Devised Boolean algebra (using operators AND, OR and NOT), starting point of modern mathematical logic, led to the development of computer science

1815-1897 AD : Karl Weierstrass : German : Discovered a continuous function with no derivative, advancements in calculus of variations, reformulated calculus in a more rigorous fashion, pioneer in development of mathematical analysis

1845-1918 AD : Georg Cantor : German : Creator of set theory, rigorous treatment of the notion of infinity and transfinite numbers, Cantor's theorem (which implies the existence of an “infinity of infinities”)

1848-1925 AD : Gottlob Frege : German : One of the founders of modern logic, first rigorous treatment of the ideas of functions and variables in logic, major contributor to study of the foundations of mathematics

1928 - 2015 AD : John Forbes Nash, Jr. : American : Mathematician with fundamental contributions in game theory, differential geometry, and partial differential equations. Has provided insight into the factors that govern chance and decision making inside complex systems found in daily life.

1934-2007 AD : Paul Cohen : American : Proved that continuum hypothesis could be both true and not true (i.e. independent from Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory)

Born 1937- John Horton Conway : British : Important contributions to game theory, group theory, number theory, geometry and (especially) recreational mathematics, notably with the invention of the cellular automaton called the "Game of Life"

Born 1947- Yuri Matiyasevich : Russian : Final proof that Hilbert’s tenth problem is impossible (there is no general method for determining whether Diophantine equations have a solution)